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Alex’s first yoga class was in high school, and she left unimpressed. A dancer, she found the class too slow and boring; she wanted to move her body more than the class seemed to allow, and she didn’t think she’d be back in a yoga class anytime soon.

While studying at USC, Alex met friends who were very into yoga and continually pressured her to take a class with them. Realizing they wouldn’t stop asking until she relented, she made them promise her if she tried a class, they’d agree to quit bugging her.

To her surprise, she found the class to be exactly what she needed. Born with a neurological disease, Alex routinely pushed through the pain dancing caused her, however she eventually stopped due to the neurological numbness, weakness, and lack of balance she was experiencing. Practicing yoga allowed her to feel a connection to her body in a way she hadn’t felt since dancing, and seemed to help with her pain management.

After practicing regularly for about ten months, the studio approached her asking if she’d like to begin teaching, something she hadn’t considered. Studying pre-law, she always thought she’d end up practicing law, not yoga. But she quickly accepted, and soon found she loved seeing the effect her teaching was having on her students and even more, the influence her students have had on her.

“I knew I was meant to teach when students came up to me and expressing their gratitude,” she says. “I had never had someone say I had impacted their life before.”

Ever wonder how your favorite teacher began their yoga journey? Our "How Teachers Became Teachers" series highlights how SoulPlay's instructors went from student to teacher. In this article, learn how Alex switched from wanting to practice law to practicing yoga.